O'hare International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Morton Grove, Illinois 60053
Friday, August 28, 1992 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING CLIMB, THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR DOOR ACTUATOR AND THE MAIN LANDING GEAR DOOR SEPARARTED FROM THE AIRPLANE. THE DOOR ACTUATOR COLLIDED WITH A RESIDENCE, PASSING THROUGH THE ROOF AND LODGING IN THE CEILING. DURING THE RETURN FLIGHT TO CHICAGO, THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED TOTAL HYDRAULIC PRESSURE AND FLUID LOSS, BUT LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. BOTH THE OPERATING GLAND HOUSING AND SHAFT, AND THE ACTUATOR ROD END OF THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR DOOR HAD FRACTURED. METALLUGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE GLAND SHAFT FRACTURE REVEALED BEACH MARKINGS AND OTHER SURFACE FEATURES THAT IN THE MOST PART WERE TYPICAL OF UNIDIRECTIONAL BENDING FATIGUE PROGRESSION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR DOOR ACTUATOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 8/28/1992
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 17
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MORTON GROVE
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60053
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport O'HARE INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ORD
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 667
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2350 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID ORD
Elevation of weather observation facility 667
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 2200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 6
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5057
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 28 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 111
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:11PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N845AX
NTSB Number CHI92IA260
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model DC-8-61
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-8-61
Aircraft Serial Number 46157
Certified Max Gross Weight 313700
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 4
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Aug 27 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 42285
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILMINGTON TRUST CO. TRUSTEE
Aircraft Owner Street Address RODNEY SQUARE NORTH
Aircraft Owner City WILLMINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19890
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AIRBORNE EXPRESS INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address AIRBORNE AIRPARK 145 HUNTER DR
Operator City WILMINGTON
Operator State OH
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 45177
Operator Code AGL1
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ORD
Departure City CHICAGO
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 2351
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ILN
Destination City WILMINGTON
Destination State OH
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 20 2002 12:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --